I couldn't stop loving you
by Druneia Serai
Summary: AU. She had a hard time forcing herself not to shiver in delight. It wasn't right; they hadn't seen each other in ten years, he should not still be able to get that reaction out of her. Rated T for mild swearing and an implication or two. It's kinda sappy


**It wrote itself. It would not leave me alone. Stupid fricking plot bunny... I feel sick. I wrote sappy sh*t. I want to go die... -_-"**

**Disclaimed**

The first time she saw him back in town, she thought her dreams from years ago were coming back to haunt her. She was recently engaged and for some vague reason that she couldn't remember, she felt like she was betraying someone. Clumping together the apparition of the red eyed man and her unknowing betrayal, she threw them in the back of her mind to forget about them. A fleeting memory of a moment shared with her previous lover dashed though her head, but she pushed it away and continued walking towards the building where she worked. She didn't have time to reminisce.

He was the one to spot her the next time they bumped into each other. He had crept up behind her and whispered a simple "Guess who?" in her ear. She had a hard time forcing herself not to shiver in delight. It wasn't right; they hadn't seen each other in ten years, he should not still be able to get that reaction out of her. His voice was deeper, huskier, and it turned her on immensely. She had wheeled around so quickly that she almost hit him. Her vocal chords had refused to work as she gazed at the man who had haunted her dreams longer than he should have.

He was taller than before, he was easily 6'3" even though he hid it with his slouch. Lazy crimson eyes roamed her body as she inspected his; they were checking each other out, and even though she hated to admit it, it was true. His stark white hair was still a sexy mess on his head, granted it was a little longer, but it was still the same style, if you could call it a style. A smirk adorned his face and showed her his unnatural shark-like teeth. A shiver attempted to shake her form as she remembered what he had done to her with said teeth. He was dressed in a white shirt and faded jeans, nothing like the rocker tees and dark red pants that he used to sport in his teen years.

After they had stopped staring at each other, they had exchanged numbers and went their separate ways with a promise to meet up some other time. A meeting that she found herself looking forward to a little too much.

* * *

The following months passed quickly. Wedding planning took up her days, leaving her mentally exhausted. She had never known before how much planning went into a wedding and she was glad that, traditionally, there was only one wedding per lifetime. Every so often, she would meet up with her silver haired friend and they would catch up; her raging about her frustrations with her wedding while he growled about stuck up snobs who didn't know shit about the music business. She was grateful for those precious hours she got to spend with him, a man who knew her more intimately than her fiancé. Those hours were her reprieve from the rest of the world and the drama that went with it. A gentle feeling always settled over her whenever he was around, no matter what the situation and that got her thinking. Why didn't she feel like this with Hiro?

* * *

Two weeks before the wedding, she finally understood why she had felt like she was betraying someone. She finally realized why memories her silver haired friend kept her up at night; she loved him, and damn it, she had never stopped loving him. She was stunned, why didn't she see it before? She was the one who had left him, he had begged her to go with him when he was leaving, but she had refused. Death City was her home and she hadn't been prepared to leave it. A sob rose in her throat when she realized who she had betrayed. She had betrayed him, but worst of all, she had deceived herself, tricking herself into thinking she could ever love another while he still held her heart in a vice grip that she knew would never loosen. She ripped the engagement ring off her finger and threw it against the room. The small golden band made little noise as it hit the opposite wall and fell to the floor, the diamond that embellished it glinting in the sunlight. Her cell phone was in her hands in a matter of seconds, her fingers rapidly typing out the numbers she knew by heart and pressing the call button. A calm voice came through the speaker.

"Hello?"

"Hello Hiro." Her voice was devoid of emotion, a trick she normally saved for the courtroom.

"Maka? What's going on darling?" Maka admitted to herself that he was sweet and considerate, but he was safe in a way that annoyed her. He didn't have that wild, dangerous feel that drew her to Soul. Soul and Hiro shared some qualities and she believed that's why she was drawn to the latter, but they weren't the same. Nowhere near the same.

"I can't marry you Hiro."

"Now Maka, are you sure? You should think about-"

"I've thought about it plenty Hiro." She snapped, cutting him off. "We're done." She didn't know where the harsh tone in her voice had come from, but she was glad for it. She needed to get her message across now because Hiro was persistent. She hung up before he had any chance to argue and set about cancelling everything to do with her wedding.

* * *

She was surprised when someone knocked on her door a few hours later. She had specifically told all of her friends to leave her alone and she had dropped her ring and every other present that Hiro had given her off at his apartment. Wearily, she detangled herself from her blanket and the couch and padded to the door. Her hand hesitated for a moment, before she grasped the nob and opened the door. _He_ stood in her door way, his normally relaxed posture nonexistant as he attempted to slouch. Soul was trying to look calm, but Maka knew him too well and noticed the nervousness that danced in his eyes.

"Why are you here?" She choked out, her voice and body unsteady. He locked his eyes with hers and responded quietly.

"Kidd told me you broke off your engagement. Why?" Maka struggled to find the words to answer the question, but found that they evaded her. She settled for firing another question at him instead.

"Why are you here?" She repeated quietly.

He frowned. "I just told you." He murmured wearily. She shook her head. That wasn't what she had meant.

"Why are you back in Death City?" His eyes widened slightly and he stopped trying to slouch, the tension in his body refusing to let him relax. He towered over her, but she didn't feel frightened or overpowered, she never had. A small memory from years ago danced to the front of her mind.

_Flashback_

_ "Come with me!" He begged. His crimson eyes searched hers, analysing her reactions to his words. _

_ A broken sob escaped her. She wanted to, she desperately wanted to, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her home. Not yet._

_ "I can't Soul." Her voice was so small, so weak, and she was breaking. His eyes locked with hers and determination swept through his bloody gaze._

_ "You're not ready." He murmured, lifting his hand to wipe away the stray tear that had leaked from her emerald eyes. "I'll be back for you, love. Wait for me. Cool guys don't abandon their girls." He drew her to him one more time before letting go and mounting his bike. The engine roared ferociously as he brought the metal beast to life. Maka couldn't bring herself to try to hide her tears anymore as he pulled out into the street and drove away from her._

_Flashback End_

She fought to keep the tears from spilling onto her cheeks as she waited for his answer, but it was an uphill battle that she had no chance of winning. Her knees collapsed and she fell to the floor, she sobs escaping her against her will.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry Soul. So sorry. I didn't wait for you. I betrayed you." She cried. Gentle arms picked her up and manoeuvered her onto the couch then went back to close the open door. Soul drew the sobbing woman into his arms and held her to his chest, his arms tightening around her waist.

"In all honesty?" He murmured in her ear long after her weeping subsided. She looked at him with curious eyes, but stayed silent so he could continue.

"The reason I came back…." He trailed off and looked at her with loving eyes. "The reason I came back was because I couldn't stop loving you."

**I can't believe I wrote that... WTF? Anyway, REVIEW!**

**Au revoir,**

**Serai**


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